Hoyer to America’s Workers: You may have a friend in Pennsylvania, but it isn’t President Bush

Democratic Whip Responds to President’s Remarks in Pennsylvan

For Immediate Release:

February 12, 2004

Contact:Stacey Farnen202-225-3130

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today in response to President Bush’s remarks on the economy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania:

“America’s workers may have a friend in Pennsylvania but it isn’t President Bush.

“Pennsylvania has lost 14 percent of its manufacturing jobs and over 85,000 jobs total since the President moved into the White House. In response, the President relentlessly campaigns in politically competitive states like Pennsylvania touting his tired, ineffective economic plan, while he fails to acknowledge that he has fallen almost 60,000 jobs short on his promise that his tax cuts would create jobs in that state. When it comes to the economy and job creation, the Bush Administration’s slogan ought to be, ‘Promises Made, Promises Broken.’

“It’s ironic that at the same time the President touted his ‘jobs plan’ in Pennsylvania that the Labor Department reported that jobless claims rose last week and the Commerce Department reported that retail sales plunged in January. But, then, this is the same Administration that said earlier this week that sending American jobs overseas was just fine and a ‘win-win’ situation for our nation.

"The more than 9 million Americans who are unemployed today and struggling to put food on the table and make ends meet no doubt wonder what the economic gurus in this Administration are thinking. Pennsylvanians probably feel like the economic Keystone Kops visited the Keystone State today.

“The President also promoted his proposal to add funding to job training programs today. But, in truth, his budget robs Peter to pay Paul and cuts or eliminates many other effective job training programs.

“It is increasingly clear to the American people that President Bush has virtually no credibility when it comes to economic predictions. He should admit to Pennsylvanians his plan is not fulfilling his promises and that a ‘jobless recovery’ is in fact no recovery at all.”